Webster University Clay Club Attends 58th NCECA Conference

Photo: Webster Clay Club students pose for a photo with art at the NCECA Conference. 

Webster University’s Clay Club recently traveled to Richmond, Virginia for the 58th annual National Council on Education for the Ceramic Arts (NCECA) conference. Nine students from the Clay Club, along with its advisor, Visiting Assistant Professor of Ceramics Lindsay Pichaske, attended the conference.  
 
Webster University’s Clay Club is comprised of nine Department of Art, Design and Art History (DADAH) students. The club was newly formed as of this past academic year. 
 
NCECA is a dynamic, 501(c)3 organization that engages and sustains a community for ceramic art, teaching and learning. Currently comprised of approximately 6,000 members from the United States and more than 20 countries, NCECA reaches thousands of additional individuals each year through its programs, publications, events, exhibitions and resources.  
 
The 2024 NCECA conference presented Webster students with the opportunity to learn more about ceramic arts through lectures, demonstrations, exhibits and a resource hall. They also had the chance to network with professional artists, chat with graduate students and residency programs about their offerings and acquire knowledge from experts in the field. 

A live presentation takes place at the NCECA Conference. 

Beyond the convention center, concurrent exhibits were held throughout the city of Richmond showcasing national and international contemporary ceramic art: continuing the theme and exposure for ceramic artists within the greater community. 
 
“It was amazing to see new art and artists emerging in the real world,” said Abi Gorline, a Webster student and member of Clay Club who attended the conference. “This experience was extremely inspirational and motivated me to keep polishing my skills.” 

Webster students examine a display in the pottery section of the conference. 

“As soon as I arrived in this position and started working with our students, I knew I had to take them to this conference,” shared Pichaske. “From being able to meet their favorite ceramic artist after watching her build a large-scale figurative sculpture, to conversing with graduate students and artists-in-residence at various programs, my students received an invaluable first-hand education in the ceramic arts. I had so much fun introducing them to this vibrant community.” 
 
Pichaske’s co-curated exhibit titled “Of Many,” was selected as one of the concurrent conference exhibits. She was given the opportunity to present her work to an international audience of her peers and students at the NCECA conference. After presenting, Pichaske extensively networked with many conference attendees – including the directors of a ceramic studio in Rome, Italy. She hopes that this relationship will continue to blossom and lead to a short-term study abroad opportunity for Webster students. 

Clay Club students smile for a photo with Margaret Boozer, an artist who visited Webster in the fall and had work displayed at the NCECA conference.

The trip was made possible through financial support from Webster’s Department of Art, Design and Art History, Webster’s Student Government Association, a campus-wide crowdsourcing fundraiser and fundraisers hosted by Clay Club. Trips to industry conferences enhance the educational experiences offered at Webster University. Consider donating to support Webster students in the arts.